Sink your teeth into our Top 50 Food Blogs list!

This is a guest post by Beth Blanchard, manager, electronic media, and Stone Hansard, supervisor, internet media.

Grandma’s secret meatloaf recipe, once neatly tucked away in a dark cupboard, is now available for the world to enjoy. Whether you want to try your hand at Vietnamese pho soup, Romanian chiftele meatballs or simply spruce up a frozen dinner for the kids, the Internet provides more inspiration than any cookbook could ever hope—and at no cost.

With services like Pinterest and Yelp dominating the social web, gastrophiles can boast their latest concoctions and dine-out obsessions in real time, foodie to foodie. It’s an exciting time for curious palates, so to fete the ever-growing trend we have compiled a list of the top 50 food blogs in North America, using proprietary research from Cision’s media database, ranked by Cision Digital Reach and inbound links. So take a bite out of these, won’t you?

If you’re hungry for more coverage of the food and beverage scene, download our free pitching kit!

- On May 29, more than 40 Boston PR firms are coming together to host Boston PRoud - an evening to raise money for The One Fund Boston. The event will take place from 5-8 p.m. ET with a cash bar, raffle prizes and hors d’oeuvres.

- Ketchum hired three new team members based in New York and one in Atlanta. Phil Swire has joined as SVP, digital strategy & technology; Amy Andrieux, VP, multimedia content & strategy; Kristen Massaro, VP, digital strategy, New York; and Matt Browher, SVP, digital strategy, Atlanta.

- Marina Maher Communications received four nods at The Holmes Report’s SABRE Awards. The agency won a Gold SABRE in consumer marketing, Platinum for best public relations campaign of 2012, Diamond award in brand building and a silver award of excellence.

- Burson-Marsteller announced a new executive leadership team for its Asia-Pacific region, including Patrick Ford as chairman; Christine Jones as Australia CEO and market leader; Korea market leader Margaret Key; Genesis Burson-Marsteller principal and founder Prema Sagar; and Hong Kong market leader Matt Stafford.

- Securities analyst Brian Rayle joined Dix & Eaton as a VP specializing in investor relations. Rayle is a Chartered Financial Analyst and regular guest host and contributor to several media outlets.

If you have content for PR & Marketing Wins, Moves & Other News, e-mail prwins.us (at) cision.com.

Photo courtesy of Nikia Jefferson

Today we’re talking to Nikia Jefferson of the blog ChiTown Fashionista! She gives us an look into the local Chicago designers scene, chats about her time in London, and about how she became known as “the enabler of fashion consumption.”

Q: First things first, what inspired you to start a fashion blog?
A: I spent almost a year in London, for work. And it was then that my interest in fashion really peaked. There were so many markets–that I frequented almost every weekend–that provided an opportunity for consumers to interact with local designers, and I felt there was a need for that in Chicago. A blog was the quickest and simplest way for me to provide a platform for indie designers and boutiques to gain some exposure.

Q: Your say on the blog that one big goal of the site is to showcase local up-and-coming designers and shops. How do you find these new designers?
A: I typically discover them while spending an insane amount of time on the computer, scouring sites like Etsy for the most unique goods, and attending local fashion events.  Since emerging designers tend to support and collaborate with one another, once you have one on your radar, you’re bound to find a handful more, simply by attending their trunk shows or stalking their social media sites.

Q: You’re called “’the enabler of fashion consumption”—where did that title come from?
A: With all the one-of-a-kind designs, designer discounts and store promotions that I share on both my blog and social media, there have been quite a few people that have deemed me an enabler when it comes to shopping.  Plus, I wanted my blog to cater to readers who enjoy shopping–or as I call it “boosting the economy”–but don’t necessarily have the time or energy to keep up with the hottest designers or current sales.

Q: Does the blog focus on Chicago fashion trends only, or do you sometimes feature other areas?
A: Being in Chicago means that I can’t help but focus heavily on the local designers and trends in my own community. However, it does not stop there. If I spot a trend while traveling or discover talent that is based in another city or country, I will feature it on my site. At the end of the day, the more unique and hard-to-find it is, the better. And if that means featuring a handmade t-shirt line in D.C. or a jewelry designer from London, I’m all for it.

Q: Who is your target audience, and what do you think draws them to your blog?
A: My target audience is women who shop often but are not necessarily department store dwellers. They are women who tend to go against the grain when it comes to their fashion choices and understand the importance of supporting emerging talent.

Q: What have you found to be the most fun or glamorous part of being a fashion blogger?
A: It’s always fun and a bit glamourous being able to obtain preferred seating at runway shows (hello, Fashion Week!), preview store openings or designer launches and collaborate with brands that I’ve always appreciated.

Q: What is the most challenging part of your job?
A: Currently, the most challenging is finding the right work/life balance. With a new baby, my priorities have undoubtedly shifted and finding the time to blog as often as I would like is certainly not an easy task. But I always manage to find a way to make it work!

Q: Where do you get ideas for your posts?
A: My ideas stem from a multitude of sources, whether one of my favorite fashion blogs, a local shopping event or even instant messages exchanged within my circle of fashion friends. I’m always looking for ways to keep my blog fresh and create original content. And that’s why I pull inspiration from everywhere.

Q: What is the strangest pitch you’ve received? Any tips for PR professionals who want to get in contact with you?
A: I haven’t received any strange pitches, per se. But I occasionally receive emails that start with “Hi there!”, “Dear Jefferson Blogger” or my personal favorite “Hey babe!” These blatant blanket pitches are extremely impersonal and have become such an annoyance to many bloggers. Bloggers like to feel that they have been contacted because their blog is a perfect match for what is being pitched. My tip would simply be “do your research”. Target specific bloggers with your pitches instead of sending it to every contact in your address book. Oh, and don’t forget to bcc!

Find ChiTown Fashionista on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and at chitownfashionista.com.

Our free weekly Fashion & Beauty Buzz newsletter features industry-related job postings, staff updates, Q&As with the fashion and beauty community, upcoming industry events and more, and is geared toward industry journalists and bloggers.

If you want to sign up or be featured in it, email gina.joseph[at]cision.com. Don’t forget to also follow @CisionNavigator and @Cision on Twitter! 

Q: I am working with a client—a law firm—that has only blogged intermittently. They have no audience, so to speak. How do I get them noticed when they don’t have an already established social network?

Ever hear the phrase, “If you build it, they will come”? (If you’ve heard it in a cornfield, you may be Kevin Costner.) Or, “It’s a marathon, not a sprint”? I think these maxims generally apply to growing a blog audience and a social media presence. Here’s what I would do:

Help the law firm establish a blog and social media schedule. They don’t have to update every platform every day—they could try blogging once per week?—so long as the audience knows when to expect new content. Suggest the law firm tap internal expertise and get everyone to write a blog post from time to time. This is how you build thought leadership, and multi-author blogs sometimes help with more-than-intermittent accountability.

Figure out, who is the audience? That’s key to all communications. You might want to suggest that the blog cover both B2B and B2C angles until you know what’s most popular among readers. You may also want to consider using paid services to boost page views, to jump-start the brand. Get the firm involved in the blog community. Writing a blog post may seem daunting, but answering reader questions and commenting on legal blogs should be easy. (Lawyers love to debate, right?) Reach out to those in the same industry or city. Once the firm has built relationships with bloggers, see if there are opportunities to guest post.

Use your social media platforms not just to broadcast content, but to listen and have conversations. Twitter and Facebook should not be an advertising space to speak at your audience, but to find out who they are and what they need. Get involved with Twitter chats in the legal industry. I realize the law firm may be time-crunched, but there are always tactics to try and room to be more social.

Q: If you follow a company group on LinkedIn and have an interview with the company, should you use LinkedIn to connect with your interviewer or other employees?

Job etiquette can be tricky, so I asked Nicholas Wilcox, Cision’s senior recruiter, what he thinks. Should you connect with your interviewer on LinkedIn? “Absolutely,” says Wilcox. “If they’ve sent you an e-mail and you’ve been in touch, it’s a good way to connect. [But] trying to connect with other employees is weird—it shows that maybe you’re trying to get some insider information, which can be taken the wrong way.”

I also like what Forbes, The Undercover Recruiter and Glassdoor have to say about using LinkedIn to contact the recruiter after the interview. The consensus varies a bit, but some key takeaways: Don’t ambush the recruiter or interviewer—they should expect your request, or should have told you to keep in touch. This might not be the appropriate course of action for everyone—only if you nailed the interview or feel like you connected. Always, always, always personalize the LinkedIn invitation. And my two cents: Make sure you still send the traditional thank-you card. Classy!

Q: Where do you find analytics for shortened links?

The three URL shortening tools I mentioned in the webinar—Bitly, Ow.ly and Goo.gl—each offer free analytics and generally provide the same metrics, such as total clicks, referrers, browsers, countries and platforms. You can create an account at Bitly to track the long-term status of your links and organize your shortened links into bundles, or just go to the site not-logged-in to track recent traffic by clicking the “# clicks” hyperlink below your shortened URL. If you have a Google account, you can visit Goo.gl and you’ll be able to access “Details” for your clicks, ranging from the last two hours to “All Time.” As for Ow.ly, you can generate a Click Summary report if you are signed up for a free HootSuite account.

Q: I’ve heard that shortening links to your site is not good for SEO. Truth?

URL shorteners generally don’t hurt SEO. Take it from Google’s own SEO expert Matt Cutts, who just happens to be Cision’s Top Social Media, Internet Marketing and SEO Blogger of 2013. “Custom URL shorteners are essentially just like any other redirects,” says Cutts. “The PageRank will flow through, the anchor text will flow through.” Just make sure your link shortener is among the “well-behaved” ones that offer 301, or permanent redirection. The three URL shortening tools we recommended certainly do. So tweet on!

Photo courtesy of edenpictures via Flickr

Mother’s Day is this Sunday, so our colleagues here at Cision decided to share some of their favorite pieces of advice from Mom. Turns out those words of wisdom we heard growing up can actually be put to use when working on our careers and personal branding. Check out some of our favorites, and feel free to share yours in the comments! And Happy Mother’s Day!

My mom always says “Nothing is the end of the world. You’re still alive aren’t you?” Sounds silly but I always remember this advice when I do make a mistake (and I make some doozies!)  Sometimes your personal (or even professional) brand takes a hit but keep it in perspective, you can recover! – Vanessa Bugasch, Senior VP, Global Marketing

“If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” It’s never a good idea to be impolite on social platforms because it’s something that everyone can see, including potential or current employers. – Micheal Perulli, Account Executive

“Be yourself. Don’t try to be anyone else.” Your sincerity and self-conviction will always stand out—personally and professionally. Nobody trusts a brand that’s faking it! – Terra Dankowski, Community Manager, Seek Or Shout

“If someone wants you to apologize, just do it.  Be the bigger person, turn the other cheek, and just do it.  Even if you didn’t do anything wrong.” I try to do this as much as possible, and it’s freakin’ hard! – Susan Abbott, Marketing Specialist

“Why do you only call when you need something?” Building relationships with influencers requires a two way street.  Every call/email/tweet doesn’t have to be a pitch – feel free to reach out and engage and interact to help build the relationship – they will appreciate it! – Nate Shafer, Digital Media Specialist

I grew up in an Ethiopian home, so traditional proverbs were always a part of my upbringing. One of my favorites from my mother is “He who does not yet know how to walk cannot climb a ladder.” This reminds me of the power of patience in life, and that many things take time to develop. Especially in this digital age when we want it all, and we want it NOW. – Hibo Aden, Supervisor, Broadcast Media

“Ask and you shall receive” My  mom is always reminding me of this little adage, and it always rings true in my career and in my life. Don’t be afraid to just ask! Worse case, you won’t get what you want. Best case, you will and you’ll be glad you gave it a shot! – Gina Joseph, Community Manager, CisionNavigator

“You can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs” My mum and dad loved repeating the traditional maxims. If you want to make something great (like an omelet…) then you can’t expect to succeed without upsetting a few people, or producing a little collateral damage – just ‘crack on!’ – Sam George, Marketing Intern

Heidi and her mom, Patricia

As a teenager, I used to get really mad when my mom would say, “You don’t even know what you don’t know yet,” but in the end, I think it gave me a spirit of curiosity and drive to never stop learning that helps me in my career and personal life every day. – Heidi Sullivan, SVP Digital Content, Media Research

Photo of Amanda Yang, courtesy of ShopClearThePath.com

This is a guest post from Amanda Yang, media statistics specialist at Cision and founder of Clear the Path.

This Monday, I gave a talk to a group of about 70 investors, innovators and business owners at the Start Up Lightning Round hosted by Entrepreneurs Unpluggd in Chicago, where a fantastic community comes together for one night of drinks and honest tales of successes and failures in entrepreneurship.

Along with fellow startup founders Todd Jones, Lisa Russell, Tim Jahn and Chris Campbell, I talked a little bit about my cycling apparel company, Clear the Path. Currently, we are in the process of building a brand and product line of apparel and safety tools to make cycling a more enjoyable experience and to encourage a sustainable lifestyle.

Aside from developing a solid product, it’s equally important to make your presence known by successfully publicizing your new company. Free is key for bootstrappers like me, when it comes marketing a startup. With limited time and money to be spent on marketing, here are Four Tips on Marketing Your Startup for Free-Ninety-Nine (that means free):

Create content to complement your brand. Startups are about creating meaningful connections with loyal consumers and brands. Engage with businesses who complement the mission of your company to further your company’s mission to make your customer’s experience tops.

Index your site. Sharpen your digital marketing chops and get familiar with Google’s Webmaster Tools to list your site in Google’s Search. Sometimes, your domain or server company will already do this for you (for instance,  Wordpress, Blogger, Tumblr), but the majority of the time you’ll have to manually add yourself.

Build local connections through social media. According to Hearsay Social, a startup focused on optimizing social media practices, “local posts provide 8 times more fan engagement than corporate posts.” Make friends locally, so you can test and iterate your products face-to-face and build a rapport with customers.

Be an expert in your demographic. We are experts in commuting and endurance sports. From taxi drivers to flat tires, we know the obstacles of commuting and cycling and are working to solve those problems. As entrepreneurs, a group that may be juggling a ton of projects, family, and a full-time job, focusing your time on marketing to the right people can be a titanic timesaver.

Thomas Edison really did have it right: “Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.” As someone who perspires quite frequently (both on and off the bike), I say whether you’re working in a Fortune 500 company or a team of one, work tirelessly to end the idea of a traditional customer and accept the idea of customers as partner. Partners are loyal and committed to sharing the mission of your brand, while consumers just consume.

Q: You say on your website that you have a bachelor’s from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, and have a background in fashion sales. When and how did you decide to start FashionEdits?
A: Yes, after many years as a designer and brand rep and even owner, the time was right. Traditional cycles have been turned on their heads. Retailers can’t be everywhere, yet they have to be to stay ahead of the game, that’s where FashionEdits.com comes in. Trade shows may still be the principal way of viewing new lines, but today’s retailer, who need to constantly stay “fresh” need rapid information and other methods of getting the scoop on shows. We saw the opportunity to the digital world to bring information directly for little or no cost.

Q: Who is your target audience? Do you focus on a specific region or is it nationwide?
A: The majority of FashionEdits.com’s readers are fashion retailers and designers, particularly emerging ones as well as people in the business but we try to make the blog entertaining and informative, so anyone would gain from reading it.

Q: Tell us about an exciting experience you’ve had working in the fashion industry!
A: Going to fashion shows is always exciting –  The scene is always high energy and the players exchange new business ideas. I also enjoy my work with FGI as well as doing workshops and speaking engagements. It’s rewarding to help people, especially creative types, achieve their dreams.

Q: What is the most challenging part or your career?
A: Getting the idea to an actual monetizing reality. But isn’t that everyone’s challenge?

Q: Where do you get ideas for your blog posts?
A: We attend trade shows and events that will generate content that will be perceived as added-value by our audiences.

Q: What are you PR pet peeves, or what is the strangest pitch you’ve received?
A: Calling it collaboration when we do the work and they get paid. Collaboration is a two-way street. There has to be mutual benefit and trust. Reputations tarnish easily and usually can never be fully restored, so it’s essential to ethical. A temporary gain is not worth a lifetime of ill will. It’s not old fashioned, it’s good business sense.

Q: Any tips for PR professionals who want to get in contact with you? 
A: They can contact me through the FashionEdits.com website, LinkedIn or Facebook.

Find FashionEdits on Twitter, Facebook, and at FashionEdits.com.

Our free weekly Fashion & Beauty Buzz newsletter features industry-related job postings, staff updates, Q&As with the fashion and beauty community, upcoming industry events and more, and is geared toward industry journalists and bloggers.

If you want to sign up or be featured in it, email gina.joseph[at]cision.com. Don’t forget to also follow @CisionNavigator and @Cision on Twitter! 

1.  The Middle (Direct approaches such as email marketing, direct mail, etc)

2.  Above (Top Down approaches such as PR pitching, Influencer marketing, etc)

3.  Flanking (Paid media campaigns)

4.  Below (Grassroots campaigns using volunteers, social media, etc)

Determining which approach to embrace will depend on a brand’s resources, personnel and goals, but all of these different techniques still rely on the idea of pushing out content through different channels.  Some brands have already started to embrace this holistic mentality and others are already reaping the benefits.

Fleishman Hillard made headlines with their rebranding from a public relations firm to an integrated marketing communications agency.  As their President, Dave Senay, describes in their New York Times feature:

“It’s not that we’re going to become an ad agency,” Senay said, adding: “We’re moving into a different space. The vision is to be the most complete communications company in the world. Somebody’s got to be able to put it all together.”

Senay is right – “somebody’s got to be able to put it all together” – and Fleishman is placing themselves in a position to be that somebody.

In the advertising industry, a variety of brands have embraced a multi-faceted approach to communications, such as Digitas, Rosetta and Deep Focus creating newsrooms to help manage and create their clients’ owned/earned media campaigns.  Others such as 360i have embarked on influencers campaigns pitching their brands to various digital influencers.

This success is not limited to PR or ad agencies, even SEO firms have adopted content agnostic approaches.   Digitalrelevance (previously known as Slingshot SEO), increased their revenue by 3,597% by offering their clients services such as content creation and distribution through blogging, social media, email and media relations.

Now, these are not the only brands that are embracing this holistic approach, and they won’t be the last, but the days of specialized one-trick ponies are drawing to an end. Brands, agencies and digital firms must now have the tools and personnel to flourish in this new time.  What ways have your brands embraced a holistic approach?  Feel free to share your stories below!

(Image via Sparksheet)

No one wants to be the office dinosaur. In addition to keeping up with industry-specific changes, we must understand the new ways people communicate. From phone calls to text messages, emails to tweets, blogs and Tumblr, Instagram and Pinterest, there are a lot of places to talk and share.

We host a weekly Public Relations and Social Media Webinar series to discuss these topics with the PR and Marketing industries, and have a very engaged and active audience. We answer audience questions in real-time and wanted to share some of the most-asked Q&As with you:

Q: Do you have numbers for how many people use Facebook on a desktop vs. a cell phone?
A: Ironically, Shift Communications wrote a post on this exact topic last week. According to Facebook’s most recent SEC filing (and Shift Communications’ post), more than two-thirds of Facebook users access the service via a mobile device at least some of the time and 1 in 6 people use ONLY a mobile device to access Facebook’s services.

Q: Where can one get images?
A: If you’re looking for images for your blog posts or other collateral, there are a few places you can get them. Creative Commons allows you to search for images you can share, use and remix. Each image will have a License on it; be sure to check the license to see the rights and ensure you are compliant. Stock.xchng offers free stock photos; make sure to read the image license agreement before using a photo. And lastly, for a fee you can download images from iStockphoto, which provides royalty-free photos.

Q: How do you determine the most useful hashtags?
A: A quick way to find out how a hashtag is being used is to search it on the platform you’re using. There you will see who is using it and how it is being used. The general rule of thumb is to use two hashtags per post (whether it be a tweet, an Instagram caption, etc) so make sure you’re using them wisely!

Q: How do we generate content for our blog?
A: There is no quick-and-easy solution for this; content can – and should – be well thought out and have a purpose. The best way to do this is to discuss solutions to problems your customers are having. Whether the answers to those problems can be fixed by a product you sell or not, giving readers real value and helping them to navigate the industry will keep them coming back for more. For more content generation ideas, read 15 Ways to Beat Blogger Fatigue.

Q: What are some of the resources available to see when content is being shared?
A: Everyone wants to know what’s being said about them and who is saying it. There are several tools on the market, including the Cision Social Media Dashboard. This tracks mentions on Twitter, in Instagram comments, on blogs, Facebook and more. You can see when someone is sharing a link to your site or blog, and any other time they mention your keywords, whether that be your company name, a more general industry term, or – dare we say – you want to monitor your competitors.

Want to hear the answers to more of the most-asked social media questions? Register for Cision’s free 30 minute webinar from 2-2:30 p.m. ET on Thursday.

But back to the matter at hand. Here are some things you should know whether you currently manage a Pinterest account or are thinking about creating one.

Images via Cision NA Pinterest page

Pins are Bigger
Pinterest is a visual platform. In fact, that is the whole point of Pinterest. So, the minds behind the site decided, Bigger is always better! Which is true in this case.

Why this should matter to you: Since you want to tell a story through your pins, having larger images just makes it easier for your followers to see what you’re all about. Maybe you’re adding a quote or some kind of text to an image—being able to see what it says without having to click on it makes a big difference when people are browsing.

The “Pinned from” feature is back
For a while, Pinterest took away the ability to see the original pinners. But they listened to feedback, and pins now show “repinned by” and the users who have pinned that image previously.

Why this should matter to you: It’s a great way to build relationships! Seeing who else has pinned an image you are interested allows you to check out others who have similar interests. Check out their boards, comment or repin their pins—allows you to create business relationships or just make friends.

Easier navigation
Pinterest updated its search function, and now suggests keywords while you type. It’s a feature we’re all used to when using search engines, so it only makes sense to have it on this site as well. One thing to note, however, is it seems that the site has actually removed the hashtag feature, so putting a # in front of keywords does not make a difference when searching.

Another thing you may have noticed is you can keep you place after clicking on a pin. Previously, if you navigated away by clicking on a pin, you would be taken back to the top of the page you were looking at and lose your place—super annoying if you’re like me and can scroll down the same page for hours.

Why this should matter to you: Allowing for better scrolling, searching and ease of navigation is better for you as a user, but think about it in terms of potential followers. You want people to be able to easily find your pins and boards without getting frustrated in the process.

Tagging
Users are now able to notify other Pinterest users within a pin, using the @ symbol. Just like tagging on Facebook or Twitter, just type @ along with the person or company’s name you want to tag, and the smart search should pull up any matching names. This alerts the user that you’ve mentioned them.

Why this should matter to you: It’s a yet another nice feature to connect with people. It also eliminates the need to wonder if they happened to see your pin while scrolling through their home feed. You can now specifically lead them to it, which in turn creates a higher probability that they will share it with their followers.

Analytics
Pinterest now has its own free web analytics tool. You can find the analytics in the new look if you hover over your name in the top right. They rolled this feature out back in March, but you can only find it on the updated version of the site.

Why this should matter to you: Instead of relying on a third party analytics tool to measure your Pinterest impact, you can find your metrics right on the site. Some of the numbers available include the average number of repins, the average number of clicks to your website from Pinterest, and the average number of people directed to your site from Pinterest.

Pinterest says the new look is still being rolled out to users, but you can click on the “Get it now” button located at the top of your home feed if you haven’t gotten it yet.